WHL champion, Regina Pats captain, Navy commander Bill Ansell dies at 63
Former Regina Pats captain Bill Ansell died at age 63 on Monday, one day after moving into palliative care because of pancreatic cancer.
Article content
Ansell won a Western Hockey League championship with the 1979-80 Pats. He became their captain the following season before playing for Hall of Fame coach Clare Drake with the University of Alberta Golden Bears. Ansell spent 33 years in the Royal Canadian Navy, serving on the HMSC Regina, before recently retiring as a lieutenant-commander in Sidney, B.C.
Article content
Article content
'Billy was the ultimate team guy,' said former NHLer Mike Blaisdell, a teammate on the 1979-80 Pats. 'Always positive, came to the rink with a smile on his face. He gained the respect of his teammates and coaches by his actions every day.
Article content
Article content
'He was a helluva hockey player. He won battles in every end of the rink. Smart payer, focused on the team's success. Played bigger than his size and never quit. I'll always remember how important he was to our WHL champion team.'
Article content
After playing minor hockey in Regina, at 5-foot-10 and 179 pounds Ansell tallied 182 points on 69 goals and 113 assists through 152 games in 2 1/2 WHL seasons with the Pats. He added 15 goals and 17 assists in 28 playoff contests. Ansell played 120 games for the Golden Bears, winning the 1986 national university championship and recording 42 goals and 58 assists during five seasons.
Article content
Article content
Ansell was recently featured in a Leader-Post column, where he spoke about a cancer diagnosis that had originally given him four months to live. He was optimistic about a new treatment that could extend his life for another year while he hoped to hear from friends and former teammates.
Article content
Article content
'There's been lots of reaction,' Ansell said afterwards. 'I've heard from lots of people.'
Article content
Ansell was predeceased by his mother Maxine and father Ron, a long-time senior hockey player who coached the Regina Pat Canadians before scouting for the NHL's Los Angeles Kings and retiring to Vancouver Island in 1980. Bill Ansell's wife, Leslie, died from cancer earlier this year. He is survived by her three children, three grandchildren, siblings Max, Pat (a former Pats goalie) and Dawn and their families.
Article content
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Ottawa Citizen
2 days ago
- Ottawa Citizen
WHL champion, Regina Pats captain, Navy commander Bill Ansell dies at 63
Former Regina Pats captain Bill Ansell died at age 63 on Monday, one day after moving into palliative care because of pancreatic cancer. Article content Ansell won a Western Hockey League championship with the 1979-80 Pats. He became their captain the following season before playing for Hall of Fame coach Clare Drake with the University of Alberta Golden Bears. Ansell spent 33 years in the Royal Canadian Navy, serving on the HMSC Regina, before recently retiring as a lieutenant-commander in Sidney, B.C. Article content Article content 'Billy was the ultimate team guy,' said former NHLer Mike Blaisdell, a teammate on the 1979-80 Pats. 'Always positive, came to the rink with a smile on his face. He gained the respect of his teammates and coaches by his actions every day. Article content Article content 'He was a helluva hockey player. He won battles in every end of the rink. Smart payer, focused on the team's success. Played bigger than his size and never quit. I'll always remember how important he was to our WHL champion team.' Article content After playing minor hockey in Regina, at 5-foot-10 and 179 pounds Ansell tallied 182 points on 69 goals and 113 assists through 152 games in 2 1/2 WHL seasons with the Pats. He added 15 goals and 17 assists in 28 playoff contests. Ansell played 120 games for the Golden Bears, winning the 1986 national university championship and recording 42 goals and 58 assists during five seasons. Article content Article content Ansell was recently featured in a Leader-Post column, where he spoke about a cancer diagnosis that had originally given him four months to live. He was optimistic about a new treatment that could extend his life for another year while he hoped to hear from friends and former teammates. Article content Article content 'There's been lots of reaction,' Ansell said afterwards. 'I've heard from lots of people.' Article content Ansell was predeceased by his mother Maxine and father Ron, a long-time senior hockey player who coached the Regina Pat Canadians before scouting for the NHL's Los Angeles Kings and retiring to Vancouver Island in 1980. Bill Ansell's wife, Leslie, died from cancer earlier this year. He is survived by her three children, three grandchildren, siblings Max, Pat (a former Pats goalie) and Dawn and their families. Article content
Edmonton Journal
2 days ago
- Edmonton Journal
Brent Dodginghorse wins NHL's Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award
Article content Dodginghorse, who won the WHL's President's Cup with the Calgary Hitmen in 1999, is also a consultant for the Calgary Flames and works with the 7 Chiefs Hockey Program with his cousin Kyle Dodginghorse, speaking about diversity and acting as a mentor for young players at the 7 Chiefs Sportsplex and the Chief Jim Starlight Centre on Tsuut'ina Nation. ''He has been such a tremendous advocate and friend and peer and mentor to our entire organization at the Calgary Flames and Calgary Hitmen,' said Candice Goudie, the executive director of the Calgary Flames Foundation, in an interview with last month. 'A lot of what we've built as far as inclusion in our minor hockey programs and in our celebration games, Brent has been a part of that. We are just so lucky to have him.' The Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award is named after the former NHLer who became the first Black player to compete in the league when he stepped onto the ice with the Boston Bruins on Jan. 18, 1958. Dodginghorse will receive a $25,000 prize in the form of a donation to the charity of his choice.
Toronto Sun
4 days ago
- Toronto Sun
This food staple is great for your heart health: Expert
Red yeast rice won't go down as the most popular variety on earth, but it's one that health experts say should be on your radar. Photo by iStock / GETTY IMAGES Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. It's a rice that's nice for your health. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Red yeast rice won't go down as the most popular variety on earth, but it's one that health experts say should be on your radar. 'Red yeast rice is a brightly coloured compound used in food and health products that is made by fermenting rice with a special type of yeast known as Monascus purpureus,' Amanda Frick, vice-president medical affairs at Thorne, said, per the New York Post . 'Red yeast rice has been used in traditional Chinese and Western botanical medicine to maintain healthy cholesterol levels and support blood circulation.' According to research, the crimson product contains naturally occurring compounds that can help keep total and LDL cholesterol, as well as triglycerides — the most common type of fat in the body — at optimal levels. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The rice variety also contains other compounds such as phytosterols betasitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol and isoflavones that can help keep your heart running smoothly. The magic element has less to do with what's in it as it does with what's on it. 'Red yeast rice does get a lot more attention for its health benefits than your everyday white or brown rice. The 'magic' of red yeast rice isn't actually in the rice itself — it's in what's grown on it,' Frick said. 'While white and brown rice provide a source of carbohydrates and fibre (depending on the rice type), they do not contain the additional nutrients like sterols and antioxidants that are found in red yeast rice.' While referred to as a rice, it's actually more commonly found in powdered form or as a supplement, or in some fermented foods. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'There are foods like fermented tofu, red rice vinegar and Japanese rice wine (sake) that include red yeast rice,' Frick said. 'Depending on the specific use in traditional Chinese medicine, it may be best prepared with other food ingredients or at a particular temperature. 'For uses in botanical medicine, it's often preferred to offer in a supplement form for consistent delivery of the bioactive compounds in red yeast rice.' Read More The side effects tend to be relatively mild — gas, tummy troubles, headache and reddish poop — but red yeast rice isn't for everyone. 'As with any new dietary supplement, it's important to discuss starting red yeast rice with your health professional, who can determine if this is the right option for you, your lifestyle and your overall wellness plan,' she said. 'Women who are trying to become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding shouldn't take red yeast rice. Those who have kidney or liver disease also shouldn't take it. Additionally, it may interact with certain medications, supplements, alcohol and grapefruit.' One potential red flag is contamination. Some red yeast supplements can contain citrinin — a toxic byproduct of the fermentation process that can damage kidneys or liver. Sports Canada Sunshine Girls Columnists Sunshine Girls
